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Cardiovascular Health for Men
I don’t see a lot about cardiovascular health for men in the herbal community, which is somewhat surprising to me. According to the CDC, one in every four male deaths are caused by heart disease, and even men that don’t have symptoms of cardiovascular disease can still be at risk. So it would make sense to stress heart healthy lifestyle choices and heart supportive herbs whenever the topic of male health comes up!
It’s difficult to suggest one or two herbs to begin with for doing your own research in this area, because there are so many great herbs that support cardiovascular health in so many different ways.
Linden, rose, and motherwort are nervines that are traditionally associated with the heart, especially when there is also an emotional component to cardiovascular imbalance and the system can benefit from the easing of physical and emotional tension or strain. Besides hawthorn, night blooming cereus (Selenicereus grandifolius) is another traditional cardiovascular herb to explore.
If you are on prescription medications for a heart condition, do be aware that some herbs may interact with your medications so be sure to do some research and talk to your doctor before adding herbs to your routines.
Learning the warning signs of cardiovascular disease is a great idea for everyone, and so is getting regular screenings from your doctor if you can.
Male Hormonal Health
Rather than needing to be concerned with the regularly fluctuating intricacies faced by most women, the biggest hormonal event faced by men after reaching maturity is andropause. Andropause is defined as age related hormonal changes in men. Usually, there is a very gradual decline in testosterone levels after age 30. Signs of low testosterone can include changes in sexual function or sleep patterns, feeling fatigued, or even have an emotional component.
Mayo clinic has more information on what types of things can indicate low testosterone and how to talk with your doctor.
Adaptogens can be very supportive for male hormonal health in that they appear to support healthy overall endocrine function. Although ginseng is often thought of for men, eleuthero and rhodiola are two adaptogens that also seem to have a particular affinity for the heart so might be worth exploring.
Prostate Health
Most people think of saw palmetto or pygeum when asked if they can recall any herbs for prostate health, but there are actually several others. Besides being part of the hormonal picture of male health, the prostate gland can also be considered in terms of the elemental balance and the picture of the individual vs a disease that we have often discussed so far in the Challenge. So, in certain cases herbs like nettle root, red root, or even angelica might be helpful in guiding the body back to balance. For instance, nettle is often thought of by herbalists when there is a frequent urge to urinate; or angelica might be considered especially for elders because of the specific affinities of the herbs for certain circumstances and individuals.
Herbal Books for Men
Beyond the standard supplement company rhetoric of saw palmetto, pygeum, and ginseng for the fellas, there is a great deal more subtlety and personalization available for men wanting to support their health with herbs. For anyone interested, the equivalent to an herbal owner’s manual for male health is James Green’s The Male Herbal, and the Earthwise Herbal Repertory also has a very thorough section that lists herbal specifics for male health concerns. I hope that today’s post has at least given you some interesting herbs and concepts to explore for men’s herbal health!
